Central senior Paradis picks up city golf crown

The Manchester Men's Golf Championship saw Matt Paradis capture the title at Manchester Country Club. Paradis is shown teeing off on the fifth hole at Intervale Country Club in an earlier round on Sunday. (UNION LEADER/THOMAS ROY)

Central High school senior Matt Paradis finished his summer in style.

The Hooksett golfer won the Men’s City Golf Championship on Monday after blazing through the challenging Manchester Country Club layout with a 4-under par 68 for a three-day total of 207.

As winner, Paradis gets a trophy and $550 pro shop credit. He also won the low junior award, good for another trophy and $100 pro shop credit.

The win was a great way for Paradis, a two-time NHIAA runner-up to college-bound Chelso Barrett, to gear up for the school year, which starts Wednesday.

Paradis, who also took home low junior honors, was under par each day of the tournament. He shot 1-under par 69 on Saturday at his home course, Derryfield Country Club, and followed that up with a 1-under par 71 at Intervale Country Club on Sunday. He arrived at MCC on Monday with a one-stroke advantage.

“I hit the ball well,” Paradis said of his Monday round, “ and the greens were nice so I ended up rolling in a lot of putts.”

Paradis set the tone for his day on the first hole. He hit a tree with his drive and, with more than 300 yards between himself and the green, had to lay up. But he got up and down from 100 yards to save par, and he was on his way.

Couple that with a double-bogey at the first by Nutter, Paradis’ nearest challenger, and it turned into a smooth day for the winner.

“I was pretty comfortable, relaxed,” Paradis said. “I had a good caddie (his uncle Bob Vigneault), so he definitely put me in a good mood.”

This is Paradis’ second year playing in the city tournament. And his win comes at the end of a productive summer, as he won five NHGA tournaments and placed fifth at the New England junior event.

Being such a youthful winner earned Paradis some good-natured ribbing from the more veteran players. And he enjoyed all of it.

“It’s awesome. I got a lot of recognition. I met a lot of people this week,” he said.

On the women’s side, Tara Watt of Derryfield CC fired a 72 on Sunday at her home course to finish with a two-day total of 152 and beat runnerup Andrea Morrell of Derryfield by three strokes. Morrell, who, like Watt had an 80 on Saturday at Intervale CC, fired a 75 on Sunday.

The women’s senior champ was Louise Billy of Derryfield, who carded rounds of 83 and 86.